vB Easy Archive - LCMinutes to help you track your call minutes, free SMS, data allowance usage

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LCMinutes to help you track your call minutes, free SMS, data allowance usage
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Posted by: LyonPlus

LCMinutes is an application that keeps track of phone calls, SMS, and data traffic, calculates their charge based on user defined rate plan, and thus keep user informed of the up-to-date balance information: like current charges, used free minutes, used free messages, used free data allowlance, expire date for prepaid plans, etc.

For more information, please visit http://lctools.blogspot.com.

Change History:
Version 1.30:

* Feature change: support for data traffic, user can set monthly data limit and rates per kilobytes for extra data traffic, and whether to round up to the next full kilobytes when calculating charges.

Version 1.25:

* Feature change: load call & SMS logs not automatic any more. Application start up is fast again;
* Bug fix: duplicate phone calls when importing now are avoided;

Version 1.24:

* Automatically load call & SMS logs in phone, automatically calculating related charges;
* Support re-calculating charge for past call & SMS after updating rate plan or balance;
* Balance effective day can be any prior date;

* Update the support of charging units concept: now user can set SMS to share the free units with call minutes, and user can set how many seconds equals a SMS.

* New special rates format: now support different rates for weekday, weekend, evening and incoming calls. And rates for phone call and SMS is now combined together.

* Support treating SMS as one call minute: so one SMS is sent, it's counted into the free minutes as one minute until all free minutes are used, and then it will be charged with SMS charging rates.

Version 1.20:

* Windows Mobile 5/6 Smartphone is supported, but only verified on emulators.
* Import/Export rate plan and balance is now supported.
* Call and SMS display in main window is changed: now 2 digits is used to display year, e.g. year 2008 is displayed 08. And the direction of call and SMS is moved to the second line, while "Out" is replaced with "<=", and "In" is replaced with "=>".
* Now rates for weekday, weekend, evening, and starting minutes have one more digit after the decimal point than balance. So now if the balance has 2 digits after the decimal point, then rates for weekday will have 3 digits.
* Balance setting screen is scrollable now if the screen is too small to display all contents.
* Exclude special rates minutes from minutes counting when the rates is zero.
* Some minor code optimization.

Version 1.14:

* Support special rates for outgoing and incoming calls and SMS: special rates format changed.
* Today plugin now compatible with Spb Pocket Plus.

Version 1.13:

* Record phone call & SMS into balance database even its charge is $0.0.
* Limit special rates for outgoing calls only.

Version 1.12:

* Support special rates: user can use this feature to support long distance rates, pay per call service numbers (like 900 service numbers), or even different rates for different type of phone numbers, like the different rates based on phone number types seen in Australian operators. Check LCMinutes FAQ for the details.

Version 1.11:

* Support free numbers: user can now input their free numbers into the rate plan to get them excluded from charge calculation. This should help the users with features like myFaves, My Five, free in network calls, etc.

Version 1.10:
* Support user defined charge interval, from per second to many minutes;
* Support different charging interval & rates for starting minutes (user defined) for every phone call, or every day;
* Support per call connection fee, can be both way or outgoing call only;
* Support using only starting rates: which means a phone call started in daytime is charged as daytime minutes entirely, and vice versa;
* Support tax calculation;
* Support weekday definition: e.g., define weekday from Sunday (0) - Saturday (6) means there's no weekend;
* Support unused minutes, SMS rollover;
* Better support for postpaid monthly plans;
* Some codes and UI optimization;

Version 1.05:

* Recompiled for Windows Mobile 5 Professional: it still works fine on Windows Mobile 6, and it should work on Windows Mobile 5 now (only verified on emulator);
* Changed the Today Plugin initial position to the last.

Version 1.04:

* Fix a bug that rates in rate plan setting is not correctly saved: now the biggest number can be saved is 429496.72;
* Fix a bug that sometimes a call is not charged.

Version 1.03:

* Support 4 digit precision for rates & balance: this means rates like $0.1225 per minute can be input;
* Support different currency format based on Regional Settings: so user can choose different currency symbol (instead of just $), and different precision;
* Default name for the generated rate plan changed: active operator name and owner name are used;
* Fixed the today plugin bug: now the today item can be moved to any position;
* Some minor code optimizations.

Version 1.02:

* Change the format of minutes & SMS usage information display in Today Plugin and the balance bar in main window.

Version 1.01:

* Support of VGA screen;
* Support displaying of minutes & SMS usage information on Today plugin and the balance bar in main window for postpaid plan;
* Fix a bug that when updating rate plan, the balance is not updated accordingly.

Version 1.0:

* The initial version.

Download:

Download LCMinutesPPC V1.30

Posted by: alpha_omega

Humm.... going to try this and see how it goes.

Posted by: LyonPlus

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpha_omega

Humm.... going to try this and see how it goes.

And then, please let's know how it goes, work or not?

Posted by: alpha_omega

Tried it but don't think it recognizes sero plans unless you configure it yourself. Kinda was more work then it was worth but maybe I just have to give it another try. I'll give it another try today.

Posted by: alpha_omega

Quote:

Originally Posted by LyonPlus

And then, please let's know how it goes, work or not?

I thought it was supposed to auto recognize your plan but it doesn't seem to do that. There is just too much stuff to program for my taste. I would just rather call or look it up online. I guess this no not for me.

Posted by: linuXshock

sounds like an interesting app, ill have to check it out especially since its can collect data transfers.

Posted by: BP10000

Great app,

took about 5 minutes set it to my plan, but was flexible enough to accommodate it. It works great for calls and sms, but it doesn't seem to track my data usage.

I'm on a rogers locked HTC touch, could it be that they've disable the data counter?

I wouldn't be surprised, those scheming bastards.

Posted by: LyonPlus

Quote:

Originally Posted by BP10000

Great app,

took about 5 minutes set it to my plan, but was flexible enough to accommodate it. It works great for calls and sms, but it doesn't seem to track my data usage.

I'm on a rogers locked HTC touch, could it be that they've disable the data counter?

I wouldn't be surprised, those scheming bastards.

Hi, BP10000, about the data traffic, LCMinutes only tracks data through GPRS/HSPA/EVDO, it won't track data through cable or WiFi. If you are using HSPA and it's not tracked, then it's a problem.

Could you please confirm that your call & SMS are automatically recorded, and that your GPRS/HSPA connection is longer than 10 seconds? Because if the connection is shorter than 10 seconds, then LCMinutes might not get the time to read the counter yet.

Posted by: BP10000

just tested it, using explorer mobile, on EDGE. connected for a minute or two, did a quick search in google and some other stuff. Still has my data balance showing as 0.0K/5M.

One other thing, is there any way to account for long distance charges?

great job though, thanks for putting this together.

Posted by: LyonPlus

Quote:

Originally Posted by BP10000

just tested it, using explorer mobile, on EDGE. connected for a minute or two, did a quick search in google and some other stuff. Still has my data balance showing as 0.0K/5M.

One other thing, is there any way to account for long distance charges?

great job though, thanks for putting this together.

Hi, BP10000, free long distance minutes is not supported yet, but you can use special rates to support long distance charge. Please check LCMinutes FAQ for special rates format.

As for data traffic problem, do you mind help taking some traces to see what's the problem?

1. Use a registry editor, to change \HKLM\Software\LCTools\LCMinutes\MonitorTraceMode to 4097;
2. Reboot your machine;
3. Use Internet Explorer Mobile to visit a simple page, after the EDGE connection last for more than 10 seconds, disconnect it;
4. Find the trace file LCMMTrace.txt under the install folder of LCMinutes, normally \Program Files\LCMinutes;
5. Send this plain text file to my email address: lyonplus[AT]gmail[DOT]com.

Thanks!

Posted by: BP10000

Hi Lyon,

I just tried out the SPB gprs monitor free version (rogers doesn't include this program on the installation CD) and it doesn't track gprs usage either, even when I open explorer through the SPB home screen item.

Have you figured anything out from the trace I sent?
Do you know of any registry entry I could check that maybe rogers has used to disable data tracking? (they are crooks!)

thanks again!

Posted by: LyonPlus

Quote:

Originally Posted by BP10000

Hi Lyon,

I just tried out the SPB gprs monitor free version (rogers doesn't include this program on the installation CD) and it doesn't track gprs usage either, even when I open explorer through the SPB home screen item.

Have you figured anything out from the trace I sent?
Do you know of any registry entry I could check that maybe rogers has used to disable data tracking? (they are crooks!)

thanks again!

Hi, BP10000

Thanks for taking the time to get the traces, and paying Rogers by doing it!

The problem seems the IP helper functions in your phone reports a data connection type not expected by LCMinutes (and Spb GPRS Monitor). I will try to support this new type in my next release, and see whether it will interfere with other type of connections like WiFi.

And sorry for the late response, I was having a 7 hour long nap.

Posted by: LyonPlus

Version 1.31:

* Today / Homescreen display customization: now user can choose what to display on their LCMinutes Today / Homescreen plugin.
* Minute beep support: timing and period are both user defined, incoming call and outgoing call can have different timing and period. So user can define a half minute (or whatever seconds he wants) beep period if his/her charging unit is 30 seconds instead of 1 minute.
* The data allowance limit can be 4T bytes, instead of 4G bytes, in maximum.
* New data connection type support: this should fix the problem that data traffic is not recorded on some phones, or some operators.
* Effective date support when importing balance: this enable user to set a balance for a past date.
* Data traffic sample timing now can be changed by user.
* Trace mode support.
* Some minor code optimizations.

Visit http://lctools.blogspot.com for more details. Let me know if you have any comments.

Posted by: BP10000

HI Lyon,
still not working for me on rogers

I tried installing on sd card and on the phone memory, but it didn't work either way.

I see you added the trace option under tracking, does that save the trouble of doing the change in the registry?

I installed a new ROM and unlocked my phone since we last talked.

would another trace file help you out?

Posted by: LyonPlus

Quote:

Originally Posted by BP10000

HI Lyon,
still not working for me on rogers

I tried installing on sd card and on the phone memory, but it didn't work either way.

I see you added the trace option under tracking, does that save the trouble of doing the change in the registry?

I installed a new ROM and unlocked my phone since we last talked.

would another trace file help you out?

Yes, BP10000, please do take a new trace file and send it to me.

And yes, you are right about the trace setting, it's exactly for this purpose. But you need to reboot your machine for it to take effect.

And BTW, could you please let me know your ROM before and after your upgrade: version, date, radio, etc?

Posted by: BP10000

Hi, Lyon. Trace file emailed

my new stats:
ROM: 2.20.710.2B WWE
date: 02/02/2008
radio: 03.07.90
protocol: 4.1.13.51
ExtROM: Blue Elves v5.0

I tried today with opera mini, ie6.1, and msn, nothing registered a data connection.

another thing, if the data allowance is the only thing I change in setting up my plan, it doesn't give me the option to save changes, until I change something else. just FYI.

Bri

Posted by: linuXshock

i also haven't been able to get the data logging to work

Posted by: LyonPlus

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuXshock

i also haven't been able to get the data logging to work

Hi, linuXshock, LCMinutes 1.32 should have solved the data logging problem.

Posted by: LyonPlus

Version 1.32:

* Feature change: free long distance minutes supported: now user can use free long distance minutes before applying long distance rates for their phone calls.
* Feature change: new special rates format: now it's possible for special rates numbers to share free numbers before applying special rates. This should be helpful for some Polish and Australian users.
* Feature change: data traffic is now dynamically updated on today screen before it's disconnected and charged.
* Feature change: used minutes is now displayed with seconds if the charge interval is not exact 60 seconds.
* Feature change: start minutes is now second based in stead of minute based, so user can set a start minutes like 1 minute plus 20 seconds.
* Bug fix: the call minutes is now rounded up to charging interval for start minutes if the call is shorter than the start minutes.
* Bug fix: call time calculation error for phone call surpass two days and using special rates.
* Bug fix: exporting balance before opening balance tab will export garbage data.

Visit http://lctools.blogspot.com for more details.

Posted by: linuXshock

Quote:

Originally Posted by LyonPlus

Hi, linuXshock, LCMinutes 1.32 should have solved the data logging problem.

nice thanks ill check it out

Posted by: LyonPlus

LCMinutes 1.34 (with the not publicly released 1.33) now can track data connection for Samsung CDMA phones (verified on Verizon Samsung SCH-I760 WM6 PPC), handle concatenated SMS, support one more bit of precision for data rates per KB, and increase special rates length from 512 to 1024. For details, check LCMinutes change history.

And from now on, LCMinutes for Smartphone is open to public. Its editing functionality still doesn't work without 3rd party software helping, so it's still rely on import/export feature to setup the rate plan and/or balance. And its installation steps is different with Pocket PC Phone version. Please follow these installation steps strictly unless you know what you are doing.

And for those who still can't track call, SMS, or data usage, or can't import call logs, SMS, please turn on trace and send me a copy of the trace file so I can have a look at it.

Posted by: RamBoaz

Hello,

I am really excited to try to get this program to work, however I have received an error message, when I tried LCMinutesPPC and LCMinutesSP.

I tried first the PPC version but encountered the same error. I get past selecting where I want to install the program (Device or Storage Card), then I receive the following message:
Installation was unsuccessful. The program or setting cannot be installed because it does not have sufficient system permissions.

Has anyone seen this before, and how do I get around it?

Thanks

Posted by: LyonPlus

Quote:

Originally Posted by RamBoaz

I tried first the PPC version but encountered the same error. I get past selecting where I want to install the program (Device or Storage Card), then I receive the following message:
Installation was unsuccessful. The program or setting cannot be installed because it does not have sufficient system permissions.

Hi, RamBoaz, your phone is locked. You need to application unlock your phone before you can install LCMinutes. If you want to do that, google "application unlock windows mobile smartphone".

Hope this helps.

Posted by: LyonPlus

Version 1.39:

* Feature change: setting for display calls, SMS, data, and balance in main window is now saved.
* Feature change: data usage charge unit can be set by user to any number of kilobytes.
* Feature change: add network id for rate plan to support monitoring balance info in service messages from Kuwait Zain and T-Mobile USA.
* Feature change: support displaying expire date or effective date without year info.
* Feature change: add more traces for debugging rate plan displaying problem in some htc Touch phones.

Posted by: RamBoaz

Thanks for getting back to me. I was really excited about trying out the LCMinutes App, and actually found one site suggesting that you need WM6 Pro.

Please confirm that I can use this on an HTC S621 (non-touchscreen WM6 Standard device).

My next question is this: Does Rogers have a problem doing an Application Unlock? If my phone needs to be sent in for service, would they know if I did an Application Unlock, or is that reversed when I do a hard reset?

Thanks in advance,
Ram

Posted by: LyonPlus

Quote:

Originally Posted by RamBoaz

Thanks for getting back to me. I was really excited about trying out the LCMinutes App, and actually found one site suggesting that you need WM6 Pro.

Please confirm that I can use this on an HTC S621 (non-touchscreen WM6 Standard device).

My next question is this: Does Rogers have a problem doing an Application Unlock? If my phone needs to be sent in for service, would they know if I did an Application Unlock, or is that reversed when I do a hard reset?

Thanks in advance,
Ram

Hi, Ram, LCMinutes does work on Smartphone (the one without touchscreen), with some limitation, that is, you will need import/export to setup your rate plan and balance instead of direct editing them with the dialogs.

I am not sure the view of Rogers, but I think application unlock is a software change and you can just undo it when you want, so personally I don't think it is a big deal.

Hope this helps.

Posted by: RamBoaz

Hi Lyon,

Thank you for your response, and thanks for this program!

(I installed the latest version 1.40 Build 0055 from your site.)

I was able to setup the program, and tested it by importing my call logs. I did some browsing around, Mobile Internet Explorer, Google Maps, Live Search, etc. but there was no data usage recorded.

It seems that I may be experiencing similar issues to others regarding the data logging.

Thanks again,
Ram

Posted by: liquor

First thanks for this wonderful utility!
I might be missing something though... LCM shows my minutes usage correctly but im billed every 18th day of month (Charged At day18 in the settings) so I expected my minutes to reset at this time. Do I have to export my balance and reset it manually each month?

Thanks!

Posted by: LyonPlus

Quote:

Originally Posted by RamBoaz

I was able to setup the program, and tested it by importing my call logs. I did some browsing around, Mobile Internet Explorer, Google Maps, Live Search, etc. but there was no data usage recorded.

It seems that I may be experiencing similar issues to others regarding the data logging.

Hi, Ram, first sorry for the long due response.

I guess your data usage is not logged because the monitor module of LCMinutes is not running. This is the case for most smartphone, and htc S621 is a smartphone. The cause is the monitor module is running as a service when starting up, but it might not have the privilege to run at startup because it's not signed as privileged signature.

Unfortunately I have no solution for this yet.

Best Regards - Lyon

Posted by: LyonPlus

Quote:

Originally Posted by liquor

First thanks for this wonderful utility!
I might be missing something though... LCM shows my minutes usage correctly but im billed every 18th day of month (Charged At day18 in the settings) so I expected my minutes to reset at this time. Do I have to export my balance and reset it manually each month?

Hi, Liquor, LCMinutes is designed to reset all counters at the start date of your rate month, except those counter for free minutes, data and SMS with rollover. Can you find any "Monthly update" in the main window of your LCMinutes?

Posted by: RamBoaz

Quote:

Originally Posted by LyonPlus

I guess your data usage is not logged because the monitor module of LCMinutes is not running. This is the case for most smartphone, and htc S621 is a smartphone. The cause is the monitor module is running as a service when starting up, but it might not have the privilege to run at startup because it's not signed as privileged signature.

Unfortunately I have no solution for this yet.

Hi Lyon,

Thank you for your response. Does this mean that the data logging portion of LCMinutes does not work on my phone?

Regarding the Minute Tracker, it seems that I have to keep importing Call and & SMS data if I want an update.

If I understand correctly, this program is not intended for a device such as the one that I have HTC S621 (Windows Mobile 6 SmartPhone). Please confirm this.

Thanks again for your time and development of this program,
Ram

Posted by: LyonPlus

Quote:

Originally Posted by RamBoaz

Hi, RamBoaz, I have user confirmed that LCMinutes works on HTC Tornado, phone call, SMS and data usage can all be logged without problems.

The phone used is flashed with a cooked ROM. But I think the key point is his phone is fully unlocked. I guess you don't necessary to flash your phone with a cooked ROM, but you might well need to further unlock your S610.

The reason that LCMinutes does not log calls, SMS and data usage in your phone is because the monitor module of LCMinutes is not started. And you need to lower your phone security level to allow the monitor module to run when phone starting.

But I don't know how to fully unlock your phone, you need to consult the experts in xda-developers.com for this.

Posted by: liquor

Same problem here with HTC s710. LCMinutes used to automatically update the call/sms log but after I upgraded from 1.37 to 1.42 I have to manually use the tool "Import Calls/SMS" to reflect changes.

Also concerning the minutes "reset" after the charge date, what do you mean by "Monthly update in the main window". All I see is the logs...

One last minor thing I noticed after upgrading to 1.42, the display showing in my homescreen used to be clickable ; when I clicked the stats it opened LCMinutes. Now nothing...

Thanks again !

Posted by: LyonPlus

Quote:

Originally Posted by liquor

Same problem here with HTC s710. LCMinutes used to automatically update the call/sms log but after I upgraded from 1.37 to 1.42 I have to manually use the tool "Import Calls/SMS" to reflect changes.

Also concerning the minutes "reset" after the charge date, what do you mean by "Monthly update in the main window". All I see is the logs...

One last minor thing I noticed after upgrading to 1.42, the display showing in my homescreen used to be clickable ; when I clicked the stats it opened LCMinutes. Now nothing...

Thanks again !

Hi, liquor, sorry for the late response, but it seems LCMinutes doesn't have the privilege to run. Did you install the SP (smartphone) version of PPC version? Or you changed your phone security settings?

Posted by: liquor

No I installed LCMinutesSP V1.42 but your right, when I go into the task/process manager I don't see LCMinutes running - should it be there? I didn't change anything in the security - I just upgraded from 1.37 to 1.42 ...

Posted by: LyonPlus

Quote:

Originally Posted by liquor

No I installed LCMinutesSP V1.42 but your right, when I go into the task/process manager I don't see LCMinutes running - should it be there? I didn't change anything in the security - I just upgraded from 1.37 to 1.42 ...

No, LCMinutes monitor module doesn't run as a process or application, you can't see it through a normal task/process manager.

It runs as a services in service.exe. You will need an application like MemMaid to see the service list. But unfortunately MemMaid doesn't have a smartphone edition.

Posted by: 1_black_civic

Hi Lyon,

I installed your program and almost everything works great. I checked the call/sms/data log that the program imported and everything is correct, however when I go to the "balance" tab, the USED DATA counter is zero. I double checked the main window and I do see the data sessions being recorded and counted correctly. It just seems the count is not being updated in the balance page. The SMS and Voice minutes count are both correct. Any ideas?

Also, is there an easy way to add in the Canada and USA long distance rates?